Enrollment of Research Subjects through Telemedicine Networks in a Multicenter Acute Intracerebral Hemorrhage Clinical Trial: Design and Methods.

Background: Enrollment of subjects in acute stroke trials is often hindered by narrow timeframes, because a large proportion of patients arrive via transfers from outside facilities rather than primary arrival at the enrolling hospital.

Rationale: Telemedicine networks have been increasingly utilized for provision of care for acute stroke patients at facilities outside of major academic centers. Treatment decisions made through Telemedicine networks in patients with acute ischemic stroke have been shown to be safe, reliable, and effective.